15 West
banner
15west.org
15 West
@15west.org
We're a newsroom, by @luckyjefferson.com, dedicated to connecting people mile by mile in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods and suburbs.

We’re getting news to people of all abilities.

Read the latest: 15west.org
Pinned
15 West @15west.org · Nov 27
“ICE broke up my family. F— em!”

This isn’t just anger — it’s the lived reality of families torn apart by shifting immigration enforcement tactics.
Celebrating the remaining hours of an unseasonably warm day by honoring the people who aren’t afraid to get a little dirty to build something better.

El Paseo Community Garden in Pilsen — once a polluted “brownfield” — is now a sanctuary where land stewardship, culture, and resistance grow.
January 10, 2026 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by 15 West
Here’s the story I’m most proud of writing in 2025. It says what many know.

We don’t need more data or another white paper stating the obvious.

We need ACTION - leaders with integrity.

We need to give communities of color what they need to live FULL, thriving lives.

Why is this so hard? 😔
How many are dying from heat in Chicago? The city stopped counting & hasn’t shared the tool that could help, @nabeelawashington.com reports. A heat vulnerability index created by Northwestern University could direct resources to Chicago’s impacted neighborhoods, but it’s locked behind bureaucracy.
How many are dying from heat in Chicago? The city stopped counting
A heat vulnerability index could direct environmental resources to Chicago's most impacted neighborhoods, but it’s locked behind bureaucracy
prismreports.org
December 19, 2025 at 6:32 PM
56 years after the FBI-coordinated assassination, all survivors of the raid on 2337 W. Monroe St. gathered together for the first time.

During the historic vigil, candlelight illuminated the West Side block as the site was dedicated as part of The Black Panther Party Heritage Trail in Illinois.
December 13, 2025 at 3:43 PM
After a record-breaking playoff debut, the #ChicagoWinds are recruiting for Year 2.

89 athletes competed for 53 roster spots at recent tryouts in Oak Park.

"I never want to leave. This is exactly where I want to be," said quarterback Sarah Teubner.
December 7, 2025 at 8:46 PM
“ICE broke up my family. F— em!”

This isn’t just anger — it’s the lived reality of families torn apart by shifting immigration enforcement tactics.
November 27, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Reposted by 15 West
“There is an art of gathering what to burn.”

In her latest exhibition, a mascletà for burning and flowering at Leisure Gallery, artist Natasha Mijares asks: What traditions do we inherit? What violence do they carry? And how do we choose what blooms in their place?
a mascletà for burning and flowering: Natasha Mijares on ritual, resistance, and rebirth
Artist Natasha Mijares brings the Valencian tradition of mascletà to Humboldt Park through spoken word, textile, and performance.
www.15west.org
November 9, 2025 at 5:52 PM
On the West Side, the spirit of community is alive.

“Stone Temple has become an anchor for those drifting in uncertainty. Today, under Pastor Reshorna’s leadership, the church continues to serve as a reminder that the solution to displacement includes small acts of care,” writes Genesis Falls.
November 8, 2025 at 5:31 PM
One Google search led us to a coffee shop that feels like home.

In part one of our new series, #EatingOurWayHome, we visit #AddisCafe — a West Suburban café where Ethiopian tradition meets community turned family.
November 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Accessibility, at whose expense?

Riders have navigated a detour stemming from @chicagocta.bsky.social’s closure of the Austin station.

The updates are long overdue, but commuters relying on the Green Line have experienced lengthened daily trips since June.

Swipe ⬆️ for the TLDR.
October 18, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Access shouldn’t be a barrier to growing something good.

Six years ago, Sister Sharon Dillon saw only weeds where garden beds should be.

Today, those same beds are thriving—thanks to her science students at Berwyn South 100’s Heritage Middle School.
Forgotten to flourishing: Heritage students transform school garden
Heritage Middle School students are learning that food doesn't just come from grocery stores; it grows from soil, seeds, and hard work in their seven-bed community garden.
www.15west.org
September 30, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Displacement is often described only through the absence of housing, of resources, of security.

“But when I look through the viewfinder, I see something else: the persistence of life,” writes Genesis Falls.
September 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Kicking off on Sept 13 is our FREE 3-week media training!

Learn to decode misinformation, engage critically with media, and publish your own stories on 15West.org.

Attend all 3 sessions to qualify for paid reporting on Chicago’s West Side.

Open to anyone interested in community journalism!
September 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
At La Cocina de Irma in Little Village, “Grandma Irma” feeds everyone—no matter what language they speak or how much money they have.

⬇️ Swipe for the TLDR or head here to read more: www.15west.org/grandma-irma...
Grandma Irma's Cocina Feeds Everyone
After 36 years as a waitress, Irma Ceballos opened her own Mexican restaurant in Little Village, where family recipes and unconditional hospitality have made her a neighborhood pillar.
www.15west.org
September 3, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Enough time has passed—let’s talk Summer Smash.

The energy and performances from Lyrical Lemonade’s festival still linger through Chicago’s hip-hop scene.

Head here to read our reflection: www.15west.org/summer-smash...
August 21, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Chicago’s new “Heat Vulnerability Index” maps the neighborhoods most exposed to extreme heat.

But in communities long overlooked by city planning, residents are asking: will data lead to action?

Swipe ⬇️ for the TLDR or tap the link to read more: www.15west.org/west-south-s...
West, South Side Residents Question City's Latest Extreme Heat Plan
Chicago’s new Heat Vulnerability Index aims to pinpoint the neighborhoods most vulnerable to extreme heat, but residents in historically disinvested areas question whether data will lead to real help.
www.15west.org
August 1, 2025 at 1:29 AM
👋🏽 We’re hosting media literacy workshops for anyone curious about misinformation and community journalism.

Over 3 weeks you’ll learn to:

• decode misinformation
• critically engage with media
• write your own narratives through hands-on training in digital publishing and community journalism
Learn
News for everyone
15west.org
July 22, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Tired of unanswered questions and fragmented information, Janel King and fellow residents like Patricia Ostaszewski are creating new paths to transparency in #Berwyn.

Scroll ⬇️ for the TLDR or click the link to read more!

15west.org/silence-isnt...
Silence Isn't Good Enough: Berwyn Leaders Push for Transparency.
Tired of unanswered questions and fragmented information, Janel King and fellow residents are creating new paths to transparency in Berwyn.
15west.org
July 18, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by 15 West
Still so grateful for IFF’s support! 🥹

This is our largest gift to date. And with everything going on in the world, it feels surreal to be included among this list of organizations fighting for the arts.

Learn more about our plans at the link below
July 10, 2025 at 12:50 AM
The trust Memphis rapper Key Glock has earned from fans isn’t just about his music; it’s about his refusal to compromise his Memphis identity for mainstream acceptance.

Read our review of Glock’s Chicago tour stop: 15west.org/in-key-glock...
June 30, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Get ready for #news for everyone.

Who are we? #15West is a new volunteer-supported newsroom and a fiscally sponsored project of @luckyjefferson.com dedicated to connecting people mile by mile, block by block, throughout neighborhoods west of Chicago.
June 21, 2025 at 3:04 PM